Catfish: The TV Show recap: The one with the model

This week on Catfish, we meet Rico, a former military man, and Ja’mari, an international model (supposedly). Rico never video chatted with Ja’mari or met him face-to-face throughout the course of their relationship because of his military past and not wanting his personal business exposed, but now that he is out of the service he really wants to meet the man he has been chatting with, especially since his mom is moving back to England and he might go with her if this whole ‘true love’ thing doesn’t work out.

When Nev and Max meet up with Rico they realize this kid is in deep. He says straight out that he is in love with Ja’mari and he would love for Ja’mari to come with him to the UK to take care of his ailing mother. And after a phone call with Ja’mari it becomes even clearer just how strong Rico’s feelings are, and knowing this show, he is most likely only in for some heart break.

Nev and Max go off to do their research thing and discover the Ja’mari seems to be using real pictures of himself, but he most likely isn’t the famous international model that he claims to be. They can’t seem to find anything about him as a model on Google and the find a video of him visiting New York for the very first time in his whole life from a month ago, which doesn’t quite add up since New York is one of the world’s fashion capitals. They present their findings to Rico, who is a bit taken aback by the possibility that Ja’mari isn’t a rich model, but its more about the dishonesty than the lack of money (I mean, the lack of money definitely is a factor too. It has to be).

Nev gives Ja’mari a call to see if they can work out a meet up, and Ja’mari is justifiably skeptical that this whole thing isn’t a prank, but he says he would love to meet Rico, when the time is convenient (because he can’t just ‘drop his whole world’). Luckily Ja’mari’s schedule isn’t too packed and they arrange a meet up in his hometown of Miami for later that week.

So they all hope on a plane and head down to Florida and straight over to a park where they have planned to meet with Ja’mari. A car with tinted windows pulls up and out walks the actual Ja’mari! With flowers! And both him and Rico are visibly nervous. It is adorable. Ja’mari finally spills the truth, telling Rico that his name is really James and he actually lives with his mother and he is always on the road because he is a bus driver(!). Not quite a model, but he is pushing hard to keep Rico in his life. Rico, however, is having his doubts and feels deceived.

Rico claims once again that he isn’t upset that Ja’mari isn’t rich (yeah, right), but just about the fact that he lied. And back at the hotel he gets even more upset when they discover that James has actually been arrested for impersonating a bus driver and stealing buses to drive them along their routes three times. Okay, so James might be a bit crazy. Poor Rico just looks devastated, but when James calls to meet up with them later that night to explain himself, Rico agrees.

At the meet-up, James explains that he got a bus route started in his poor neighborhood when he was 14, and 4 years later he was falsely imprisoned for the crime that Nev had found on the internet. He was in prison for 2 years for the crime, but he finally proved it wasn’t him and he passed the certification and background check to be a bus driver legally. So maybe he’s NOT crazy after all? This is just confusing.

The next morning they meet up with James to say their good-byes and he thanks Rico for making him come clean and asks for forgiveness, which Rico grants, although he doesn’t know if he can forget. Rico tells James that he still has feelings for him, but he has to go to the UK to see his mother and maybe one James could come out and join him. After a long and lingering good-bye kiss that Nev and Max totally bust Rico about, Rico and James part ways, but you can tell that it won’t be forever.

In the one month check up, we learn that Rico’s mother is doing better and he has decided to stay in the United States and continue his relationship with James. Guys, these two are seriously the cutest! It’s like real love! A happy ending! Who knew it was possible!? I love this so much. If only it would happen every week!

I'm Sam, your reality TV expert. When it comes to television my motto is: the trashier, the better. If a show is winning Emmys and making critics swoon, it probably isn't my style. I'll take Kardashians and teen moms over great acting and writing any day of the week.